Thrust block attachment for journal boxes



July 27, 1954 c. D. Foss 2,684,878

THRUST BLOCK ATTACHMENT FOR JOURNAL BOXES y Filed oct. 25, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 1 l BY ATTORNEYS July 27, 1954 c. D. Foss 2,684,878

THRUST BLOCK ATTACHMENT FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed Oct. 23, 1950v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR CURTIS D. FOSS 4o BY [777mm VM ATTORNEYS Patented July 27, 1954 UNITED STATES EiA'iELN'I' v()"'F'Fl`CfE`.

.THRUST BLOCK ATTACHMENT FOR JOURNAL BOXES Curtis al). Foss, Bell, Calif.

Application October `23, 1950, Serial No. 191,683

3 Claims. 1

This invention has to do with railway car journal boxes.

VIn standard railway car journal boxes in which lubricant-saturated waste is employed, there is a 'tendency for the waste to work between the bearing, or brass, as -it is called, and the Acar axle. `This is a serious problem vbecause it often results `in overheating of the waste yto the point Where it ignites, causing the well-known hotboxes. The migration of the waste into the bearing area results from the fact that when'the Ycar brakes are applied, there is relative movement between the car axle and the bearing in a direction longitudinally of the car caused by the momentum of the car. This causes the bearing and axle to separate or open up at one side, permitting waste to enter this space. This .is called "waste grab. The same condition results when the car is vjolted longitudinally. It is also true that on rough road beds at high speeds there .fis a tendency for the journal vbearings 4and `the faxle to separate. In some cases, under severe conditions, such as freight .cars :are commonly subjected to, the bearing may actually become shifted out of its proper position.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel means for overcoming the above-described undesirable conditions.

A particular object of the invention is to provide means which lends supoprt to the car axle at each side for the purpose of preventing lateral movement thereof.

Another object is to provide means for preventing the main bearing or brass from moving out of proper position in the journal box.

It is also true that there is a tendency for the axle ends to move laterally independently of each other as the result of unequal braking forces applied to the wheels. This causes serious wear of the wheel flanges.

It therefore is another object of the invention to provide means for holding the axles in a manner to prevent them moving out of proper alignment.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the type heretofore indicated which also acts as a retainer for holding the waste in position in the lower part of the journal box.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple device which is relatively inexpensive and can be installed and removed readily from the car journal box.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view 2 through a railway car journal box showing the vaxle extending thereinto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the device of the invention.

More lparticularly describing the invention, reference numeral I I generally indicates a railway car journal box, vand numeral I2, a car axle extending into the box. The outer end of the box is provided with an opening I3, ordinarily closed by a cover which has not been shown. The other end of 'the box :is provided with an opening for receiving the axle and Vat this end the box is provided with a slot or well I5 vto receive a dust guard or seal I3.

Interiorly the box is provided with a bearing orbrass I8 which bears upon the upper portion of a vreduced section I9 of the car axle. This bearing is held in place by the conventional wedge 2'I interposed between the bearing and the upper wall 22 of the journal box. The Vbearing includes a main body 25 and a thinner, inner section 26 lof suitable bearing metal.

In order -to accomplish the various objects heretofore set forth, I provide a device which is indicated by numeral 3D. This device includes a pair of what will be termed bearing blocks, indicated by 3 I, and these are connected by means of a suitable member 32. The bearing blocks may be made of any material which can act as a bearing when in contact with the car axle. For example, these blocks may be made of the same material as the conventional bearing.

Each of the blocks is provided with a concave inner surface 34 which is curved to conform to the outer surface of the axle. This surface ares out at 34 since it is designed to ride against the fillet I9 of axle I2. Each block also has a at outer surface 35, which, when the blocks are installed in the journal box as shown in Fig. 2, bears against the inner surface of the side wall 36 of the journal box. The lower ends 3B of the blocks may be hat as shown. The upper ends are preferably curved away from the inner or bearing surfaces 34 as indicated at 39 and beyond this may have a short, flat section 40 adapted to bear against the lower side marginal edge of the bearing I8. Between the outer surface and the surface the blocks are provided with a tapered wall 4I.

The blocks are adapted to be mounted at the inner end of the journal box with one block at each side of the axle. It will be apparent that in this position the outer surfaces 35 of the blocks bear against the side walls of the journal box and that the upper surfaces 4G bear against the lower side margins of the bearing I3.

I preferably connect the blocks by means of the member 32 which may consist of two springy metal straps 43 and 44, which have a roller 45 therebetween. The roller may be made of either rigid or resilient material. The straps are pivotally mounted at 46 on brackets 81 projecting from the blocks. I preferably form each end of the straps 43, 44 to provide a curved portion or radius 49 and beyond that, a straight portion 50 so that the blocks may be pivoted in only one direction on the straps.

It will be apparent that the straps serve to hold the blocks in place against the lower side marginal edges of the bearing I8. rlhe roller 45 is provided for the purpose of making it easy to install the blocks, the roller serving as an anti-friction means as the device as a whole is moved longitudinally of the journal box.

In order to install the blocks the journal box is jacked up and the wedge and bearing removed. The blocks are then placed in position by inserting them through the opening i3 in the journal box and working them into position.

For the purpose of assisting in maintaining waste 52 in position in the box I provide each block with a wire 53 which extends from the outer end 54 of each block toward the outer end of the journal box. This wire is preferably undulated or corrugated intermediate its ends and may have its outer end portion 53' curved downwardly so as to fit beneath the lip of the opening I3 in the journal box. The wires also serve as handles for removing the blocks from the journal box.

Although the invention has been particularly shown and described, it is contemplated that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope thereof as indicated by the following claims.

I claim:

1. Means for preventing lateral migration of an axle in a journal box having a crown bearing over only a portion of the axle at the upper side thereof, comprising a pair of bearing blocks of less length than the box adapted to be positioned in the journal box one on each side of the axle, a block-connecting structure extending between the blocks, and an elongated flexible member projecting from an end of each block adapted to be bent downwardly to fit within the journal box in position to overlie lubricant waste material therein.

2. Means for' preventing lateral migration of an axle in a journal box having a crown bearing over only a portion of the axle at the upper side thereof, comprising a pair of bearing blocks adapted to be positioned in the journal box one at each side of the axle, and a exiblc structure connecting said blocks, said flexible structure including; a pair of straps of springy metal and a roller therebetween approximately halfway between the blocks, said straps being secured to the blocks, respectively, for limited pivotal movement relative thereto.

3. In journal box construction wherein an axle is received in a journal box and a crown bearing is provid-ed in the box which extends over only the uppermost portion of the axle, the combination with said axle of a pair of bearing blocks in the journal box, one on each side of the axle, and a block-connecting structure extending between the blocks, said blocks being substantially of less length than the crown bearing and each presenting a bearing surface in engagement with the axle.

ieierences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 701,065 Magee May 27, 1902 1,475,196 Padget Nov. 27, 1923 1,941,486 Pilcher Jan. 2, 1934 1,999,268 Wilson Apr. 30, 1335 2,125,141 Yancey July 26, 1938 2,271,117 Carnarius Jan. 27, 1942 

